DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Hundreds lined Wednesday up to access the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at the Volusia County Health Department.


What You Need To Know

  • A new FEMA Disaster Recovery Center opened Wednesday in Volusia County

  • Many displaced residents are looking for answers about assistance as many applications remain on hold

  • The recovery center is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Sabra Sheehan was number 46 in line and spent the entire day at the site looking for answers.

She said she waited until 6 p.m. hoping to get some answers but couldn't get any, so she will be back at the site on Thursday with the same goal in mind.

"We're all in a daze," she said. "We really are in a daze"

She has lived in the sunshine state for three and a half years and said she has never experienced anything like this. Her complex, Hawaiian Inn Daytona Beach Resort, was red-tagged, and now all she wants is to know what happens next.

She said, though, that workers at the new FEMA site couldn't offer those immediate answers.

"Even here, they really can't tell us what we are eligible for, what we are not eligible for," Sheehan said. "It's a really a big catch-22 for people who are looking for answers today, immediate."

She has applied for help, but for now, she says her application remains on hold.

"They will send you a packet and ask for more information," Sheehan said. "They will send out an adjustor, which in my case, right now, the adjustors can't even get in the building."

She said she also hasn't had much luck online.

"I spent the entire day, between my regular insurance and FEMA the other day, and got locked out of the website and couldn't use it," Sheehan said.

She said she will be back to take advantage of the other services offered at the new FEMA site.

"They also have help here on legal information with your insurance companies on what you can do and what you can't do," she said. "I haven't even gotten to that section. I'll be back tomorrow."

The recovery center is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone inside before 6 p.m. will receive help even if it extends past that time.